Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a controlled substance and firearms. Court documents and testimony from law enforcement officers during today’s sentencing hearing also connected him to the murders of five individuals, including a mother and her 3-year-old daughter.

Rashawn Long, 35, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 30 years in federal prison without parole, which was an upward departure from the federal sentencing guidelines.

Long was found guilty at trial on Aug. 21, 2014, of possessing Buphedrone (also known as bath salts, a controlled substance similar to methamphetamine) with the intent to distribute and of being a felon in possession of firearms. According to court documents and evidence presented at today’s sentencing hearing, Long carried out the murders of at least five individuals in a relatively short time frame – at least one in 2001 for which he was convicted in state court, and at least four during the summer of 2013, the year he was released from prison for his 2001 murder conviction.

Testimony at today’s hearing established Long’s longtime gang affiliation with the 51st Street Crips.

Long shot and killed Michael Birks on Feb. 1, 2001, in the middle of a public street in Kansas City, Mo. Related to that murder, Long attempted to kill Marlon Brown on March 5, 2001, in Overland Park, Kan. Though he survived, Brown was paralyzed from the incident.

According to court documents, Long was also responsible for the execution-style shooting murders of Myeisha J. Turner and her 3-year-old daughter on Aug. 23, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo., inside of the victims’ home.

Additionally, a federal agent testified today regarding Long’s shooting murder of Kevin “Flip” Jones on Sept. 20, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo., in the driveway of the victim’s home.

Long was also involved in the drive-by murder of Raymon K. Thomas with an automatic AK 47-style assault rifle on July 14, 2013, according to testimony from law enforcement at today’s hearing.

The investigation into this case began when Kansas City, Mo., police officers responded to a call about a suspicious person on Oct. 26, 2013. Officers contacted a homeowner, who stated that a man she didn’t know had been knocking on her door. She also told officers that he parked his 2013 Dodge Avenger in her back yard area and left. She had no idea who the vehicle belonged to or why it was parked in her back yard.

Officers noticed that the vehicle had a strong brake pad odor, which was consistent with it having been recently driven at a high rate of speed with the brakes repeatedly engaged. One of the officers requested a tow truck to come pick up the vehicle. When the resident went to move her own vehicle so that the tow truck could get into her back yard, she found a note from Long,  but addressed to another person, thanking that person for letting him park the vehicle in her yard.

A few minutes later, Long came running up the hill, waving his arms and yelling at the officers. He told the officers that he knew the owner of the residence and that he parked vehicles there before. Long also told officers that he was trying to hide his car from his fiancé while he visited another woman who lived down the block, and did not want anyone to see him. Long, who had two active arrest warrants, was taken into custody.

When officers searched Long’s vehicle, they found a backpack that contained a stun gun, a can of pepper spray, a digital scale with residue, a digital video camera and a Coke can. Inside the Coke can was a false compartment that contained 5.67 grams of Buphedrone.

When officers reviewed the contents of the digital video camera, they found at least two images in which Long flashed a Glock semi-automatic handgun.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Long has prior felony convictions for second degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and trafficking drugs.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Marquez and Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

http://www.justice.gov/wdmo

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